John Brash’s Production Director wants the company to become the number one timber company in the UK

Brian Lancaster, Luke Flippance, David Marshall and Judith Lodge

Published:16:52Monday 07 March 2016

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As Production Director of a top timber firm in Gainsborough, Brian Lancaster, hopes one day he will see John Brash as the number one timber company in the UK.

Brian, 46, from Derbyshire, has been Production Director at John Brash for five years.

Brian said: “I knew that I could make a difference to the business by working closely with our teams to improve the efficiency of the production processes used on site.”

Brian said the rewards he gets from his job is working with a local workforce who are committed to quality and want to do the right things to a high standard, and seeing people make a difference to their lives through hard work and loyalty.

He said: “ I have always been committed to change management and I believe that all businesses have to adapt and evolve or they stagnate or even go backwards - this is true with our graded roofing batten which means that the roofers using the product do not have to spend time grading on site and the UK housing market is responding very positively to the excellent product we produce.”

Brian said the biggest achievement is being the Project Leader responsible for the sourcing and successful installation of the award-winning Goldeneye laser scanner.

He said: “It is the highest expenditure in the company’s 110 year history and is breaking output and yield records on a regular basis.

“I am also proud to see our site achieve 268 accident free days recently.”

Brian has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), City and Guilds in Quality Assurance and a Nebosh Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety qualifications.

He said: “I have worked in automotive and household textiles for almost 20 years, progressing to Works Manager level, and I have also spent time building trains for the London Underground and manufacturing steel central heating radiators before joining John Brash in 2007.”

Brian’s ambition is to see John Brash unrivalled as the number one UK timber company.

He added: “And to ensure that I do my bit to ensure that the company is still going strong in another 110 years.”

Outside of work Brian enjoys watching and playing football and he tries to get to Anfield as often as possible to watch Liverpool FC.

He said: “I also enjoy running despite not being built for it. I completed the London Marathon in 2005 and I have run several half marathons also.

“In June this year I am running a half marathon in Sweden.

“I enjoy any challenge and in the last two years, along with my colleagues Christian Brash, Chairman, and Steve Parkinson, Supply Chain Director, we have completed both the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the National Three Peaks challenges, raising more than £7,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.”

Earlier this year the company was included on a list of the top 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain.

In the last 12 months, John Brash has installed Goldeneye, the only timber scanning line in Europe to grade timber roofing batten to the new British Standard for roofing.

Its production levels are increasing month on month, and it now grades enough timber roofing batten to go from John O’Groats to Land’s End each week.

The family-run company, which celebrated its 110th birthday last year, estimates that six out of 10 homes in the UK have John Brash timber roofing batten on their roofs.

It has also invested to increase the capacity of its yard so that it can now accommodate 24 lorries at any one time, which is up from the previous limit of nine, and this means that, on average, a lorry full of John Brash leaves the factory every 30 minutes, 24 hours a day.

For more information visit www.johnbrash.co.uk or follow John Brash on Twitter @JohnBrashTimber.